Report: Federal Enterprise Architecture Framework (FEAF) Overview

This report provides a detailed overview of the Federal Enterprise Architecture Framework (FEAF), established in 1999 to enhance efficiency and collaboration among federal agencies. It explores the framework's purpose, which is to encourage shared improvements in procedures and data, thereby identifying opportunities for cooperation and reducing duplication. The report breaks down the six sub-architecture spaces and explains the four key architecture types: business, information, applications, and technology. It also covers the eight levels of scope and the core principles of FEAF, including future-readiness, investment support, and shared services. The report concludes by emphasizing the evolving nature of enterprise architecture and its importance in aligning business and technology goals. References to relevant sources are included.

Introduction
The Federal Enterprise Architecture Framework (FEAF) was set up in 1999 by the Chief
Information Officers (CIO) because of the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996. The reason for the FEAF
is to encourage shared improvement of necessary procedures and data among Federal Agencies
and other government offices.
Purpose
The six sub-architecture spaces are utilized to encourage between and intra-office
investigation. Through this examination, the Government can better figure out where copy
ventures have happened. Holes and open doors for cooperation, both inside and crosswise over
offices, can likewise be recognized. This investigation is intended to enhance efficiencies and
expansion Return on Investments (ROIs). The utilization of FEAF's six sub-design areas can
similarly upgrade an office's capacity to organize vital objectives. Through examination and
prioritization, the probability of adequately and productively accomplishing goals is expanded.
From the most elevated authoritative level to the equipment and programming base, FEAF helps
offices see how to reliably accomplish mission objectives.
Types of structure
In light of the FEAF, a given architecture can be divided into business, information,
applications, and technology architectures. Business architecture speaks to the firm capacities
that CMS performs and the data that CMS employments.

 Data structure characterizes how information is put away, overseen, and utilized as a part
of a framework. It sets up regular rules for information operations that make it
conceivable to anticipate, model, and control the stream of information in the frame.
 Application architecture comprises of intelligent frameworks that deal with the
information objects in the information engineering and backing the business capacities in
the Business Architecture. The applications are characterized without reference to
specific advancements. The applications are steady and constant after some time, while
the innovation used to execute them will change over the long haul, in light of the
advancements as of now available and evolving business needs.
 The Technology Architecture depicts present and future specialized foundation and
particular equipment and programming innovations that bolster CMS' data frameworks. It
gives direction and standards to actualizing innovations inside the application design.
Scope
There are eight levels of degree for executing an engineering utilizing the conventional
approach:
 International
 National
 Federal
 Sector
 Agency
 System
 Application

These levels of degree advance consistency in engineering techniques to improve
equivalence and backing shifting levels of many-sided quality. The extent of a particular design
ranges from unusual state perspectives of one or more associations to detailed aspects of an
isolated fragment, framework, or application. Because of the nature of how the U.S. National
Government works, different levels of degree are required to create viable structures that bolster
mission and bolster targets inside and between organizations. Extra levels of scope for
government undertaking designs are in work by the FEA Program Management Office
(FEAPMO) that envelop multi-office and multi-line of business activities. These levels would
oblige segment and broad design activities, including those that include partners with State,
Local, and Tribal offices as well as industry, scholastic, and universal gatherings. Security and
protection controls for these new levels of extension should be created when FEAPMO gives
direction on engineering techniques at these new levels.
Principles
The accompanying is general standards for the Common Approach to Federal EA and
speaks to the criteria against which potential speculation and engineering choices are weighed.
Future-Ready: EA helps the Federal Government to be active in finishing the numerous
missions that the Nation relies upon. Mission necessities persistently change, and assets are
frequently constrained. EA is the key business and innovation best practice that empowers
Agencies to develop their capacities to convey required administrations viably.
Speculation Support: EA bolsters intra-and between organization thought central leadership
through a draftsman, contribute, and actualize arrangement of exercises. Offices must guarantee

that venture choices depend on engineering arrangements that outcome in the accomplishment of
critical and strategic results by utilizing innovation and other assets in a successful way.
Shared Services: Offices ought to choose reusable and shareable administrations and items to
acquire mission or bolster usefulness. Progressively, the Federal Government is getting to be a
facilitator and buyer rather than the maker of issues and administrations. Institutionalization on
standard capacities and clients will help Federal Agencies actualize change in an auspicious way.
Conclusion
The history of Federal Enterprise Architecture goes back 20 years, but the field is still
evolving, and rapidly so. Whichever enterprise architecture you choose, remember that enterprise
architecture is a path, not a destination. An enterprise architecture has no value unless it delivers
real business value as quickly as possible. The good news is that these methodologies can be
seen as complementing each other. For many organizations, the best choice is all of these
methodologies, blended together in a way that works well within that organization's constraints.
One of the most important goals of any enterprise architecture is to bring the business side and
the technology sides together, so that both are working effectively toward the same goals.

References:
cio.gov (n.d.). Federal Enterprise Architecture. Retrieved from cio:
https://cio.gov/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2012/09/FEA-Security-Privacy-Profile-
v3-09-30-2010.pdf
cms.gov (n.d.). Federal Enterprise Architecture Framework. Retrieved from
cms:https://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/CMS-Information-
Technology/EnterpriseArchitecture/FEAF.html
innovategov.org (2015). Basics of the Federal Enterprise Architecture Framework. Retrieved
from innovategov: http://innovategov.org/2015/04/08/basics-of-the-federal-enterprise-
architecture-framework/